A vehicle drive shaft, which is usually made from steel tubing, transfers rotational power from the transmission end to the differential of an axle assembly for rotatably driving the vehicle wheels. A yoke is typically welded to the shaft so as to provide a means for connecting two or more driveshafts together. The yoke is also typically made from forging steel to allow for strong bonding between the driveshaft and the yoke. However, forging steel is a relatively expensive material.
Thus, it is desirable to reduce the cost of the yoke while maintaining the strength of the bond between the yoke and the driveshaft.